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An Interview with Detective First Grade Whit Fletcher

5/27/2011

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 from The Pot Thief Who Studied Escoffier by Mike Orenduff

 
I’m happy to introduce Detective First Grade Whit Fletcher from the Albuquerque  Police Department.  He was born in Tucumcari in 1960. After graduating from Tucumcari High School where he made second team all-state as a defensive tackle, he joined the Army and trained as an MP at Fort Leonard Wood. He received an honorable discharge in 1981 and enrolled in the New Mexico Police Academy. He joined the APD in 1982, eventually working his way up to Detective First Grade in 1996. 


Detective Fletcher, tell us about this case. 
How long you got? Cause whenever a case involves Hubert Schuze, it gets complicated. I suppose you know he’s a pot thief, but that don’t bother me none. 
 

Excuse me, did you say pot thief? What do you mean?
He  goes out in the desert and digs up pots made by people who were here before the white man came. Hell, maybe before the Indians we got today came. Some of those pots are a thousand years old, and most of them got holes you could through a cat through. But the Federal Government made digging them up illegal a few years back. Must have been a slow day in Congress. Anyway, I got more important crimes to deal with than someone digging up old pots. Besides, he makes a good living doin’ it, and some of that money has found its way into my pockets. Not as bribes, unnerstand; I’m an honest guy. But seems like in most of his cases, there are a few stray pots around, and he and I split any money that might come from finding them pots a good home. But this case was different because he got involved with a restaurant.
 
Well, we all know he likes to cook. 
Yeah, but they hired him to make plates. And wouldn’t you know it, one of the cooks ends up dead and the poison turns out to be – let me check my notes here – barium carbonate, which just happens to be one of the chemicals he was using to glaze the plates.
 
So that made him a suspect. 
Yeah. I told him the coroner found a fresh needle mark when they did the autopsy and a bump on his head that the coroner said was from a blow that was probably strong enough to knock the victim out but not enough to kill him. So they figured someone conked him on the noggin and shot him full of poison. Trouble is, the toxicology scan didn’t show any poison. There was evidence of a heart attack, so the coroner was thinking about going with that old standby, natural causes. Then the police got an anonymous phone call  telling them that the victim died from barium carbonate poisoning. Seems barium  carbonate is not one of the chemicals the toxicology scan tests for. I said to Hubert,“That was pretty sharp of you, Hubert, to use a poison they wouldn’t find. If your accomplice hadn’t ratted you out, you would’ve gotten away with it.”

He said, ““Accomplice? I didn’t have an accomplice.”

And I said, “You done it all by yourself?”

“No,” he says, “I didn’t do it at all, by myself or with an accomplice.”

I told him, “Think about it Hubert. Like you say, you got no reason to kill Stiles. Dorfmeister and Stiles had some sort of a run-in at the restaurant, maybe argued about whose silly hat should be taller. So Dorfmeister  decides to get you to help him. I can’t see you sticking a needle in anybody,  so he probably just asked you to supply the poison, knowing you would get  blamed. But the good news is that if you admit what really happened, you can  probably get off with just accessory before the fact.” Then I had a brainstorm and said, “Matter of fact, you could just say he borrowed some of that barium stuff, and you had no idea what he wanted it for. You might walk on this one.”

But Hubert has funny rules, so he says, “I’ve got a
better story. The barium carbonate was stolen from me, and I had nothing to do with the murder. And the best part about that story is it’s true.” I tell you, I was disappointed. I  told him, “When did truth ever have anything to do with it? What matters is  what a jury believes. You try your story and you come off as a guy trying to wash his hands of any responsibility. But you say you were duped by a friend, and you get the sympathy vote.” Turns out his fancy lawyer got him out of it, so he didn’t have to face a jury, but he did get arrested for larceny.  They thought he was skimming money from the restaurant 
 
That doesn’t sound like Hubert. 
Course it doesn’t. But I had to serve the subpoena anyway. I told him, “This here is a subpoena duces tecum. You are charged with larceny and ordered to appear in court next Thursday and bring all personal and business bank statements for the last two months as well as records of credit card transactions of any and all accounts, both personal and commercial.” Then I said to him, “What the hell you been up to, Hubert?” He said, “I’ve been running a restaurant. What’s larceny?”
 
How did it all work out? 
The good news is that Hubert figured out who did it. The bad news is the restaurant went broke. Come to think of it, maybe that was good news as well. The place was serving Austrian dishes with names like Schokogugelhupf. You could break a jaw just trying to pronounce them. Then Hubert tried to save the day by combining Austrian and New Mexican – called it ‘fusion,’ whatever that means. That one dish though – the schnitzel con tres chiles – wasn’t too bad.

Thank you for being with us today, Detective Fletcher. Maybe Hubert can make you some schnitzel con tres chiles. 

 
 
Mike Orenduff is the winner of the 2011 Lefty Award. Detective Fletcher appears in all four of his Pot Thief books. Information on his books can be found on his website at www.orenduf.org. He loves to hear from readers and can be reached at
ThePotThief@gmail.com. 

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An Interview with Jenny Jasik

5/20/2011

1 Comment

 
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from  One Small Victory by Maryann Miller

Never in her wildest dreams did Jenny ever think she would join a drug task force and help bring down the main distributor in her small Texas town. After all, she's just a mom and a small store owner. But don't discount what a mother can do when the safety of her children is at stake.


Jenny, you are not with the police department. How and why did you get involved in this case?

After my son was killed in a car accident and drugs were found at the scene, I became aware of the enormity of the drug problem in our small town. I was so angry. Maybe angry at Michael for dying, I know that is a normal part of grief, but I was also incensed at the injustice of it all. If his friend hadn't been taking drugs that night, maybe the accident wouldn't have happened. And to think some smug drug dealer was raking in the money… it was just too much for me to wrap my mind around. So when I heard about this drug task force forming, I marched into the police department and told them I wanted to be part of it. I thought they would laugh and toss me out, but Lieutenant Steve helped me get accepted. I had to pass a physical fitness test and there were some other restrictions, but I was finally taken on as a Confidential Informant.

Tell us a little bit about this case. 
In my first orientation with the task force, which consisted of the Little Oak Police Chief, Steve and his partner, Linda, the local sheriff, one of his deputies, an agent from the FBI and one from the DEA, and me, I found out that a major distributor had been operating out of a nearby ranch. The Feds had him under surveillance for over a year, but had not gotten hard evidence to take to court. What the task force planned was a sting to catch him selling drugs. I would become the bee to deliver that sting. The case was special to me because I wanted to get those drug dealers and distributors out of my town, and I guess in some way I thought it would bring me some peace about Michael. Maybe he would not have died in vain if something good came out of it.

Why was this case hard to solve?
It was really hard for me to establish myself in the undercover role of "Connie" who liked to party and needed drugs. That was my first job. Gain access to the dealers and build a rapport.  The dealers were naturally suspicious, so I ate their dust several times before I was able to make my first score. The other complication was the fact that I could not tell anyone, not my kids, my friends, my mother--not even my dog -- what I was doing.  The last part wasn't so hard. We don't have a dog, but my kids and my mother had lots of questions I couldn't answer. Then Scott, my other teenage son, heard rumors at school about his mother hanging out with druggies -- nothing is secret in a really small town -- so he called my ex-husband to complain. Ralph threatened to take the kids away from me if I didn't stop whatever nonsense had Scott all riled up. 

Was there any real danger involved?
At one point one of the dealers put a gun in my face and walked off with my money. Then at another "meet" some guy showed up that I'd never seen and told me to get in the car with him. I figured I was going to be driven off, shot and dumped in some field. One of the dealers had just been found dead, and we were afraid that something had sent the distributor on a killing spree. Luckily, that wasn't his plan for me that night.

Did anyone help you with your investigation?
I worked with everyone on the task force, but most closely with Steve.  He was my champion throughout and we grew quite fond of each other. I think it could have gone beyond fondness, but professional boundaries had to be respected. 

How has this case affected your personal life?
It threw my life in turmoil for almost a year, and I certainly learned some things about myself that I never would have. I am a stronger person now than I was before, and I know what lengths I will go to in order to protect my children.  And it brought Steve into my life.  It's nice to have someone care about me, and we may see where this relationship will go. 

Thank you for being with us today, Jenny. I am sorry for the loss of your son. I wish you well in your role with the drug task force in trying to keep our streets free from drug dealers and distributors.


Maryann Miller has written nine non-fiction books and four novels. including the  award-winning, Coping With Weapons and Violence in School and On Your Streets. One Small Victory is based on a true story and is on the Kindle best-seller list for mystery and thriller. She has also written several screenplays and stage plays and lives on some acreage in the Piney Woods of East Texas with her husband, one horse, two goats, two dogs, four cats and whatever wild creature wanders through the property. Information on these books can be found at her website at  http://www.maryannwrites.com.


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An Interview with Robbie Cutler

5/13/2011

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From Vintage Murder by William S. Shepard


We have interviewed police and detectives from across the country. Today we have a different kind of crime solver.


Mr. Cutler, would you tell us about yourself and your agency?
I am Robbie Cutler an American Foreign Service Officer with the Department of State.

When did you first become interested in solving crime?
I was a student at Brown University. I happened to be in a jewelry store when an armed robbery took place. I kept my cool and furnished solid information to the police which helped secure convictions. I became fascinated with crime and detection and retained that interest and ability after I passed the Foreign Service Examination.

Is it unusual to solve crime in your role?
I have found that crime breeds everywhere, and an observant diplomat can help solve the most difficult international crimes.

Tell us about this case.
The Basque terrorist ETA organization is blackmailing the great Bordeaux vineyard owners. One of the victims calls on me, the Acting Consul General at the American Consulate General in Boirdeaux. He has heard the blackmailer’s voice and thought it sounded like an American.

What could you do to help?
I went through the visa files and located a possible suspect. Because I was already working with the French police and their FBI equivalent to share information on terrorism, cooperation to solve this crime was the logical next step, particularly when Ambassador Adams in Paris gave his approval.

Did you have any outside help in solving the case?
I had an enthusiastic helper in Sylvie Marceau, a French newspaper reporter. I am very logical, and Sylvie has the people smarts.
 
Thank you, Mr. Cutler, for taking the time to talk with us today. I wish you the best in your job as you solve the most difficult crimes across the globe.



William S. Shepard  
had the idea for a diplomat sleuth one late night when he was duty officer for the Secretary of State. There were so many different reports and intelligence sources that he thought a sleuth would be in seventh heaven. Vintage Murder is the first of four in the Robbie Cutler diplomatic mystery series.  Information on his books can be found on his website www.diplomaticmysteries.com

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An Interview with Officer Louise Miller

5/5/2011

1 Comment

 
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from Silent Kill by David Fingerman



Today we have with us Officer Louise Miller from the Minneapolis Police Department with us. 


Tell us a little bit about yourself.

My name is Louise Miller and I'm a five-year veteran of the Minneapolis Police Department. I guess I'll get right out and say it – I'm also gay. Everybody tells me that I've got a chip on my shoulder so I guess I'll believe them.

Officer Miller, tell us about this case. What made this case so special?
Officer Lone Bear was one of the few people on the force who I could call a friend. When his body turned up, the case became more personal than I should have let it. I admit it skewed my thinking. As it turned out, that was only the beginning. Some people went missing and others turned up dead. It became clear we were dealing with a very sick and twisted individual.

What made the case hard to solve?
Don't get me started. First, I have a captain with his head shoved so far up his you-know-what he would only listen to his detectives. He couldn't care less what a lowly officer, and someone who actually might have some knowledge of the case, had to add. There was also a big jurisdictional problem. Crimes were happening across county lines. It seemed everybody's main priority was covering their own butts. Catching a killer seemed secondary. Plus, all that testosterone drove me crazy.

Did anyone outside of the police department help you solve this case?
As much as I hate to give him any credit, I couldn't have solved this without my brother Andrew's help. He's a Hennepin County Deputy Sheriff. And a rookie for God sakes.

Has this case affected your personal life in any way?
Deeper than I'd care to admit. (long contemplative pause, wiping eyes). I guess I'm still recovering –  mentally and physically. (another long pause) I'm sorry (gets up). I can't talk about it. Interview over.

The Minneapolis Police Department is fortunate to have an officer with such determination and passion. We thank her for taking the time to be with us and for sharing so much of herself. Our best wishes are with her as she recovers.



David Fingerman lives in Minneapolis. His favorite day of the year is the first day he pulls a flannel shirt out of the closet.  After 24 years of working in the court system, he walked away to write full time.

Silent Kill (August 2010), is the first book in the Louise Miller series.He is the author of Edging Past Reality and Spyder. For more information on his books or to order an autographed copy, contact him athttp://davidfingerman.comor http://davidfingerman.blogspot.com. 


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